Does the color ink in your Kodak inkjet printer always seem to run out, even though you rarely print in color? If so, you’re not alone. A class action lawsuit filed in California Superior Court claims that Eastman Kodak failed to tell consumers that its All-In-One inkjet printers deplete color ink reserves at “absurd levels,” even on pages that contain only black text.

According to the Kodak All-In-One inkjet printer class action lawsuit, “When printing black and white text and images, Kodak’s color inkjet printers are designed and programmed to use substantial amounts of color ink in addition to the substantially less expensive black ink. Kodak specifically designed the color inkjet printers so customers could not print black and white documents, unless there was an operating color inkjet cartridge in the printer.”

The Kodak printer class action lawsuit goes on to say that even though Kodak inkjet printers use substantial amounts of color ink when printing in black text and images, no color other than plain black can be seen on the printed page. “The documents are for all purposes substantially the same as if printed from a black and white only printer. As a result, consumers are unaware that color ink is actually being used and hidden within the black text and/or images that they have printed.”

This fact is further concealed, the class action lawsuit says, because nowhere in Kodak’s promotional, packaging or warranty materials does it disclose to consumer that its color inkjet printers use color ink when printing black text or images.

The Kodak color inkjet printer class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of all persons or entities located in the U.S. who own a Kodak color inkjet printer and who have printed black text and/or images using that printer. It is seeking class certification, restitution for Class Members, and injunctive relief prohibiting Kodak from further engaging in the deceptive business practices alleged in the lawsuit.

A copy of the Kodak All-In-One Color Inkjet Printer Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.

Please note: Top Class Actions is not a settlement administrator or law firm. Top Class Actions is a legal news source that reports on class action lawsuits, class action settlements, drug injury lawsuits and product liability lawsuits. Top Class Actions does not process claims and we cannot advise you on the status of any class action settlement claim. You must contact the settlement administrator or your attorney for any updates regarding your claim status, claim form or questions about when payments are expected to be mailed out.

Not only does the color cartridge drain when only the black and white is being used, but both cartridges drain even when you have no printing needs.
I have owned other printers, and we have family and friends currently with other printers, so we are well aware of what to expect from a printer – even a low-cost one.
Additionally, the online help has proven to be little more than a shield and a bluff operated by people with marginal English skills

i have had my printer for almost 3 yrs and yes it will say out of ink before I have printed a few pages. It’s just terrible. Worst printer I have ever owned. So much for saving on ink prices like they advertised. Shame on Kodak!!!!

I would like to know how to join this lawsuit also. I traded my HP printer at Best Buy during a promotion they were advertising where you got $50 off the price of a Kodak printer if you traded in your printer and bought this new Kodak printer that “”saves you tons of money on ink”. I’ve had it less than a year and already ran out of both black and color ink 3 times. I hardly color!

I have had and AIO Kodak ESP 5 printer for 2 years bought it because Kodaks proportional literature said it was cheap on ink I think each cartridge says it will print 42 0 pages!!! I have yet to see 50 pages, print mostly black and colour always needs to be replaced even though it is not being used. This is a total SCAM. wish I could be a part of this class action.

You all are 100% correct. Weve been ripped off on a grand scale.
Its not only the ink issues.Where did I read before my purchase that without ink we (Kodak) will not let you use the fax or scanning options either. I will join a class action suit. no problem.
re. Esp office 6150. piece of junk.

I would like to be included in this lawsuit. I changed my printer settings to only print in black and white, and then watched as my black AND color ink depleted simultaneously. The “customer service representative” that I spoke with, told me this is completely normal since the gray scale is actually printing with equal amounts of color and black ink…

I’m in the same boat and I’m pissed. I stumbled on this lawsuit by mistake because I was searching to see if anyone else has had the same ink issues with this product. Its upsetting that they market the printer with a separate black and color cartridge to suck us in to thinking we can use only the black ink if we want. What a scam. I will NEVER buy another Kodak product again because of this. Please tell your friends and family to boycott all Kodak products. Let’s demand integrity from businesses from now on!

I’m sick and tired of so called legitimate big companies who practice the art of deception thru advertising and legally rip people off. I’ve owned a Kodak ESP5210 for about a year and just now started to investigate the problem I’m having with it going thru ink cartridges. Just posted a complaint with Consumer Affairs and found this article on the lawsuit. There’s alot of P’d off people out there….

Let’s give a big “hooray” for bottom-line (i.e American) capitalism, eh? In Europe they have made it illegal to install the ink-use minimizing chips in the cartridges/printers. When will we smarten up in the USA?

Let’s give a big “hooray” for bottom-line (i.e American) capitalism, eh? In Europe they have made it illegal to install the ink-use minimizing chips in the cartridges/printers. When will we smarten up in the USA?

for those wanting their name in the hat you really don’t have to do anything

“In terms of the class itself, in includes all people in the United States who own a Kodak color inkjet model and have printed black text or images. As we read that, it could just as easily be phrased as anyone who has printed from a Kodak printer, because it is unlikely anyone who owns a color inkjet model hasn�t printed at least one or two pages in black and white.

In their defense, Kodak is not the only OEM inkjet manufacturer who has dealt with these suits. HP had a similar situation arise in 2010 which it settled by offering the members of the class e-credit towards the purchase of ink or a new printer. Epson also dealt with a class action which was begun in 2009.””

Purchased my Kodak ESP 5210 March, 2011 and have been pleased with it until recently when I started realizing the ink usage. To try and save on ink I have been printing in draft mode with black only cartridge and noticed the color cartridge is emptying at the same time and I’ve not used it. Brand new cartridge! This shouldn’t be. In researching for answers as to why this happening I stumbled onto this site and I see others have the same complaint. SHAME ON YOU KODAK. A trusted American company and you’re ripping us off!!

Have the same problem, using too much ink especially when in the draft
mode, the color cartridge is being depleted. It’s, to say the least, very
deceiving on the part of Kodak. I spoke to management at Staples located here in Lorain County and they do not sell Kodak printers do to this very fact of constant complaints by the consumer.

I have all the same complaints others have listed — I got rid of an HP for this just to save ink, I am only getting about 50 or so pages only printing in black. I need to change both. I plan on throwing it out–rather than donate it , since I don’t want anyone else to put up with the same problem,.

I got the ESP6150 and I’m sorry about the purchase. Even on “draft” setting and printing only b/w text the printer goes thru color cartridge as fast as black color. I think the chips are there to falsely indicate an empty cartridge

My brother and I both bought Kodak ESP5 printers because of the supposed ink savings. Big crock of lies. He uses his printer 100 times more than I do, both print heads failed with in a few weeks of each other. The least used one first. We were told ink can dry up in the channels from lack of use…the savings was supposed to include not having to buy the print head every time you bought ink cartridges. They should include free print heads as well!

Get on the Web to find out problems with my printer ESP 3250 and its just Kodak scamming us with misinturpenting their products as being cheap to use!I am not going to use any more kodak products nor buy any more !!!!!!!!!!

What stands out about my esp 3250 is that is was obviously and consciously designed to be a fraud. Thank goodness kodak is going bankrupt and they deserve it. Kodak refused my request for a 50 dollar refund so i will destroy that awful machine with a sledge hammer and put the video on youtube, like so many others.We need a lawsuit in canada too.

I PURCHASED THE “ALL IN ONE KODAK 2150″ BECAUSE I BELIEVED THE ADS SHOWING THAT THE KODAK PRINTERS WOULD BE USING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF INK AND PRINT SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF PAGES BEFORE RUNNING OUT OF INK. BUT I ALSO CAME TO FIND OUT, WHILE USING THIS POORLY DESIGNED PRINTER THAT THE COLOR INK WAS DISAPPEARING AT A RATE OF ONE SMALL BLACK CARTRIDGE TO ONE LARGE COLOR CARTRIDGE. THIS IS RIDICULOUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN I DO NOT PRINT ANY COLOR PAGES.

How do I get my name on the lawsuit ? I have all theexpended cartridges on hand along with receipts.And have been very disapointed with my printer. Kodak was not upfront about the color aspect whileprinting.29kdg

I bought the esp 5210 and it was a pain from day one, and quite the ink hog. I called Kodak immediately and told them I thought there was a problem with my printer as it used so much ink. I also had a problem with it stop printing all together. They sent me a free print head, and still nothing. This was just over one year old. I finally gave it to someone who had one like mine and wanted to try the print head on hers, so I said just take the whole thing. So, am I still part of the class acftion suit? Kodak deleted my warranty info from their system when I told them I knew there was a class action suit. What do I need to prove I had one of these pieces of junk?

After cutting open a supposedly empty color cartridge i found it was still full of ink. It would be nice to force the malhonest, greedy and cynical individuals behind this fraud to release a fix that would allow the printer to print until the cartridges are actually empty.

I own the ESP 3, since 2010 and have wondered why such a huge cartridge runs out of ink so fast, just printing pages, not pictures. It constantly registered that it is low on ink, and now with new cartridges, the Printer is asking for refills. I weighed the new print cartridge with the old one…Same Weight. I realized the old cartridge was still full! It should have been, since I hardly use my printer. Now I have two full cartridges of color ink at $19.95 plus tax a pop, plus 2 black at 12.97 plus tax. Kodak (no one speaks English well), advises they can guarantee its just the print head and offered to sell me one, after the Rep told me, its not the printer but my NEW computer. He offered to clean it for $199! What a scam. Anyway, I’m an American Customer Service Rep who is tried of being treated like crap from foreign Customer Service. Now I have a beautiful printer, not a single scratch…and it will not print.

I purchased the All in One Printer because it was advertised to be cost effective on ink and it has been just the opposite. How can I get to be part of this class action for reimbursement on ink costs and future purchases of ink?

Shame on all of you for trying to be a part of such a stupid lawsuit. What’s next, are you going to sue your car manufacturer because your vehicle did not get the gas mileage that as advertised?? What a waste of damn time.

I’ve read all the complaints and I’m in the same boat with you all. I have the 3250 and I bought it because of the advertised ink savings. I’ll try to join the class action and definitely won’t ever buy another Kodak product. But what now. Which is the reputable printer to buy?

In march of 2011, I bought the ESP 3200 Series All-in-one printer based on the advertising hype of less cost for ink usage. That was false advertisement and (I think it was an Intentional consumer deception). I’m over 60 years old, used computers over half of that time. I’ve owned a number of computers, copiers, printers, scanners and faxers and have never seen such a piece of junk. Over the last 2+ years I’ve just lost count of the number of times replacing black cartridges or color cartridges because the thing would not print unless the other was replaced. I printed less than 5 color copies total since I’ve owned the thing, I only print B&W and even then get only from 18 – 25 copies before it locks up with cartridge replacement message. It scans from the computer instead of the machine. I got fed up with messing with it and decided to buy a Laser Jet printer. I tried to connect the piece of junk to an older computer I have, thinking I could get some usage for money spent by just using it as a scanner (wrong). The install cd has more crap added to it than I would ever use, and due to automatic installation, I’m unable to access scan drivers, print, copy or fax drivers to install individually. Running an older Windows XP Pro program and limited hard drive space, I don’t want to use up 312 MB of memory on that old system for a scanner driver. If I live to be (hopefully, a 100), Kodak will never see a dime from me again – and if i could get in on this class action suite – maybe just maybe I could at least get some of my funds back. If that’s possible, let me know. Thanks……

My name is Joy Smith – I am from Carbondale IL After reading the information on the Kodak class action suite filed I realized that I have the same problem with my Kodak all in one printer. It was only after reading your online information that I realized why my color ink seems to vanish although I am using black/white printing a majority of the time. As a matter of fact the reason I found the information on the Kodak class action suite it because I was online trying to google how to print a black/white document using Kodak printer when the color ink cartridge codes “depleted”. Please send me information on how I may be aprat of the Kodak Class Action Suite as an owner of this product from Carbondale, IL.

My Kodak Hero 9.1 uses up color ink in absurd amounts, but I rarely use it. I purchased this printer for the low cost of the ink. However, had I known it goes through ink 10x faster than other printers, I would have purchased another brand. I spent good money for this printer and am pretty annoyed with the amount of ink I have had to purchase in the past year considering how often I use this. This is ridiculous!

I purchased the 5210 ESP Series and it was trouble from day one. The ink usage was unbelievable and I called the company many times on it. My color went out every time the black was done and I never used the color in printing. Then when we left home for a month and came back, the printer made all kinds of grinding noises. I called again and they said the printer needs to be left on all the time and used every day. Come on, I never did that with any of my printers. Finally it just up and quit working and was just over a year old. I talked them into sending me a new print head, but that still did not help. How do we get in on a class action suit. This company made the worst printer out there and lied about how inexpensive it was on ink. It was a pure piece of junk.

I have the ESP 5210 and though I rarely print in color, and usually when I do, it’s a draft, my color cartridge goes out often. I replaced it today, and while at the store, I looked at other printers. I don’t have much problem with my Kodak, but after reading this, I also feel I was tricked into buying this because the selling point was less expensive cartridges. I don’t believe they’re that much cheaper, but I haven’t really compared.

When I don’t want to print in color at all, I simply set it to print in only black and white, but now I wonder if that stops the printer from using the color. Since I have a brand new cartridge installed and have only printed three pages, plus a test page, I will make sure to document how many pages I can print before it’s time to replace it once again.

I also bought the Kodak 9250 because it was said to use way less ink than other printers. My color runs out almost as fast as my black ink. I only use the color about once a month, and that may be to print off a 4X6 picture.

My HP printer was having some issues with paper transport so I my wife saw a Kodak printer on sale in a local store. She was already upset that the Hp was giving us problems. I don’t print a lot and already changed the black cartridge. I recently went to print a paper and ti showed the color ink cartridge needed to be changed. I tried to over ride it and use only black but nothing worked. A week later my wife tried to use it and i had to tell her it would not print until we bought a new color cartridge.

She wasn’t happy and immediately wanted to take the printer and toss it. I found this site when i searched for a way to run the printer without the color cartridge. SURPRISE! I’ll have to buy an XL cartridge from an alternate supplier at discount price,should last longer,eventually buy a new printer and give this one to someone I don’t like. I’m disappointed that Kodak used the same poor tactics as others have done.

I thought Kodak was on to something good. On the advice from a Best Buy Geek, I purchased 3 of these ESP units. The whole process has been a nightmare. After 2 years, 2 of the 3 units no longer print. If you call Kodak you will be talking with someone who barely speaks English. Although touted to print over 400 pages, these printers never made it past 50 pages. I have placed them in their original boxes and placed them in the attic just in case something comes of the class action suit (have my doubts). It is sad to see what was once a great American company go down this road. In short, the printers double, if not triple your ink costs. Stay away from them even at yard sales.

I bought the Kodak AIO printer because the ink was suppose to be cheaper to use. I’m on a fixed income, I can’t afford to be buying ink all the time. I only print in black and white, but the color ink still runs out. I’m left with a half cartridge of black ink & the printer will not print because my color cartridge is out of ink! I want in this law suit! Where can I find I printer that uses only black ink?

Gonna look into the lawsuit and see if I can still get in on tar and feathering these crooks. Stuck with the 3250 and can’t use it in any capacity unless both cartridges report full. Wondered why I was always buying new cartridges. Don’t print very often and always forget when I replaced them. Turns out I’ve been contributing to Kodak’s retirement fund. Nice little racket they’ve got going. Black and color cartridge pack sells for $32.97 at Walmart right now. That gets you about 20 black/white printouts and 5 colored. And I’m not even exaggerating.

The lawsuit says the plaintiff bought a new black cartridge and a new color cartridge at the same time, installed them, and printed exclusively black and white documents. When she attempted to print a single colored page, the color cartridge ran out because it had already been depleted from printing the black and white copies.

Nice.

Fact is, a Kodak printer requires two cartridges to print ANY document. Black won’t function with an “empty” colored one and a colored one won’t function with an “empty” black one. Try to replace just one and you’ll be heading back to the store for the other after seeing that one’s “empty” prompt too. I like to cut open the still-full cartridges and drizzle them out the window in neat designs on the way. That way it doesn’t go to waste.

Bottom line is, a Kodak black cartridge doesn’t cost $10 and a color one doesn’t cost $20. They’re in truth one cartridge being marketed as two “lowest priced” ones. When a replacement is done, the cost will be $30 regardless. Buying either the black or the color by itself is the same as buying both on layaway. They shouldn’t even be sold separately because by doing so Kodak is claiming their printers allow the user to print only in black and white if they choose. It’s not possible. The software makes a point of prohibiting it, as well as the gray scale option.

Kodak bundles a scanner with their printers and sells them at cost to get their foot in your door, then banks on the fact that most people will just keep forking over the $30 rather than deal with the hassle of a return. Their entire business is built around ensuring every printer keeps bringing them a handsome return. For major printer users, “handome” converts to about $30 a month. That’s the drop. Yesterday they were giving away cameras to cash in on film rolls. Today it’s printers. Tomorrow it’ll be whatever people are just lazy enough to allow.

I bought the Kodal ESP Office 2150 because it advertised the least expensive ink cartridge on the market and it has been a nightmare. constantly running out of color cartridge when I only print with black ink.

Between the ink running out because it was designed to do that and printing so many test pages, like multiples daily because the printer doesn’t print consistently I am going through ink cartridges like crazy! And you can’t find the ink anywhere except for Cartridge World. Then when you call support they want to verify that you’re using Kodak ink. Are they kidding?! I hate this machine!

How come no previous poster’s questions were answered about the class action law suit? I have the same question.

Where the lawsuit should have been placed is in how the chips on the ink cartridges are designed to stop working after a certain number of pages have been counted. So, if you go to a website and happen to print some blank pages, they will add to the count. I started buying an extra cartridge and as soon as the one said it was “out” I’d remove its chip and put the new cartridge’s chip in that one, and so on. Always printed way more prints each time. Also, the lawsuit should have also included the fact that when the printer wants new cartridges, it shuts down the scanning function (at least on my 5300 AIO). Kodak is a sham but they feel no shame. Typical greedy corporate bastards.

Not sure if any replies stated in replies, and I think it’s wort to say, my hero ask me when I make copies if I want color or black n white so why is most of my printing color ink used if I’m using black n white, something lawyers need to look at. Whats the point of of choosing if it’s going to use color ink. Don’t know
how long I owned this printer but I saved all my cartriges from day one n I have the same count of empties and if I was to say I printed on avg. 3 COLOR PRINTS per set of cart. I can say it is cheaper than my old epson which cost me 110.00 per set of 6 cart. To replace

I bought this printer because they promised that I would spend less on ink. To date I am spending way more. Sometimes when I buy new ink, it will tell me its not recognized or tell me that its empty. Wth, they are new out of the box!!! Other times, I put new ink in and don’t print for a few weeks. When I go to use the printer it tells me low ink. So basically I spend way more on ink and so I believe they are falsely advertising. Yes the ink is cheaper, but it does not last longer.
I have never had a printer that would not let me print at all if the color ink was out, usually you can just print in black ink. They are forcing us to buy more ink. I am so done with Kodak. If there were a class action lawsuit, I want to join. Kodak owes me for my time, money and frustration with their junk printer.

I would like to know more about this lawsuit and see if it’s not too late to join. I have a Kodak 5100 and I am constantly buying new ink. I don’t use it and it still is constantly going down and when it reads as low, it will not print. I check my ink and it has plenty of ink in it. What a waste of time and money!!!